I’m currently on a round the world trip in my DA42. I’ve been told I need USD to pay airport fees in Africa and Asia. Problem is – I can’t find a way to get USD in Europe!
Deutsche bank told me that the only option was to withdraw Euros from their ATMs and then convert to USD (at a rate of .9057!). There has to be a better way. Anyone have ideas? If it helps, I have Wise, and can wire money cheaply in USD or Euros to any account at a good rate.
Some banks have ATMs in USD; I have seen them in Switzerland and in Luxembourg.
I’ve seen ATMs with an option to withdraw USD at large international airports, but don’t quite remember which ones.
For any reputable organization you deal with that has international clientel, a credit card will work pretty much anywhere these days.
However, there are times when the application of cash can make things happen. These days in Africa if you lack the local currency, you can normally substitute US dollars with Euros for such payments. Asia may still prefer US dollars, I haven travelled there for a long, long time.
I think you will be stuck with a bank transaction to get cash US dollars, though you should be able to just withdraw that amount from any currency exchange using a credit card of any currency.
If you were to make contact with somebody in the US who needs Euro upon arrival, you could arrange an exchange. I do this for friends when we are all traveling to Europe from the US: upon arrival in Europe I access a local Euro account that needs to be drained occasionally, providing their traveling money in local currency at the interbank rate. Typically however they give me the USD before departure, versus carrying it to Europe where I couldn’t personally use it. If you’re under 10K cash I don’t believe this is a problem regardless, the USD import at that level does not need to be reported when entering the European country.
Schiphol Airport has USD-ATMs.
Too long ago that I used them to know whether the exchange rate is fair. They were installed by ABN Amro immediately behind security for international (non-EU) departures.
Whenever I checked, currency was always cheapest to get in its home country.
Not an option here, I understand.
At typical cruiseship locations, e.g. Venice, you could meet some of your country fellows and ask them for a few hundred bucks each (they often carry enormous amounts) ;-)
Go into any bank and buy (exchange for) USD. At least in Austria, most larger bank locations have USD.
No matter how you end up getting the $$$, make sure the notes are as pristine as possible. Also, get a mix – some places prefer Benjamins ($ 100 to the non-US readers here) whereas others refuse them. It’s been a while since I traveled in the ‘Third World’, but the above comes from years of experience working in Africa and Asia.
One way to get USD may be Western Union. I have never used them, but perhaps give it a try.
172driver wrote:
No matter how you end up getting the $$$, make sure the notes are as pristine as possible.
That is a very good advice – in some countries the notes are not accepted if there is ANY damage (tear/markings/etc).
Here in the UK I buy foreign currency by mail order. Much better deal than using a cash card to draw cash from machines in the country in question. And you can get any currency you want.
